Munich Restaurants Reviews | fffoood.comhttp://fffoood.com
Thu, 15 May 2014 19:19:14 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.22fffooodhttps://feedburner.google.comGartensalon: Your Secret Gardenhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fffoood/~3/IsIPWS4EO4I/
http://fffoood.com/munich/gartensalon-your-secret-garden-1398/#commentsThu, 15 May 2014 19:07:53 +0000http://fffoood.com/?p=1398Gartensalon, in the Amalienpassage, is tucked away from the usual Munich scenery and is truly a secret garden in the heart of the city.

Eggs are the jewels in any breakfast crown. At Gartensalon they know this well and cater amply for the prodigious egg lover. Rich yellow scrambled [free range] eggs on dense bread with your choice of pimp-your-egg combinations served outside among the flowers are a heavenly way to enjoy the emergent Spring and Summer in Munich. Imagine sitting on a cushioned log, bathed in sunlight, surrounded by homely food, friends and foliage and you’ve pictured it just right!

The best friends of the egg at breakfast are the Gartensalon’s wide range of fresh orange juice, rustic lemonades and strong coffees. The drinks at Gartensalon are prepared by a separate, dedicated station of smiling barristas who are happy to match a drink to your mood and recommend the perfect slice of cake for your coffee taste.

The food is simple, inexpensive and so you should order a range of things to try. We picked the müsli, croissants, most of the egg options (with chili is delicious but not for the timid!), and a variety of breads laden with creamy goodies. Our table was groaning and everything on it was pleasant to say least. The real highlight, however, was that we could mix and match our food and hang out in a informal and relaxed garden!

The cute hand drawn menu (decorated with pugs!) is the first clue you get that Gartensalon is a shabby-chic kind of café to be enjoyed for its homely décor as much as for the food. With the walls covered in purchasable artisan and humorous postcards and pieces, it feels like a cooperative, collective and community hub providing simple but very delicious food and drink for Munich sun-lovers.

Gartensalon’s garden-party, outdoor-picnic, buffet style makes you feel welcome and laid back. And with plenty of things available inside that are not on the menu, such as a wide selection of cakes, speaks of daily freshness.

The food and atmosphere definitely lubricated our social breakfast with friends. We hope this secret garden in central Munich will not remain so secret any longer! Spread the word! And we look forward to going back for some of their program of evening entertainment (check their website)…and more of the eggs, please!

]]>http://fffoood.com/munich/gartensalon-your-secret-garden-1398/feed/0http://fffoood.com/munich/gartensalon-your-secret-garden-1398/Dim sum in Munich? Just head to Happy Dumplings…http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fffoood/~3/pXAYcdQ2cOs/
http://fffoood.com/munich/dim-sum-in-munich-just-head-to-happy-dumplings-1372/#commentsSat, 03 May 2014 21:40:25 +0000http://fffoood.com/?p=1372Are you lucky enough to live, work or study close to Uni? Well you’re about to make a few people very jealous. The first ever restaurant focusing 100% on Cantonese dumplings (i.e. dim sum) in Munich finally opened its doors 3 weeks ago, right on Theresienstraße. We’re not big experts when it comes to Chinese food but we thought Happy Dumplings was really, really good, and here’s why…

Common Chinese dumplings consist of minced meat and finely chopped vegetables wrapped in dough and then either steamed or deep fried. They look quite simple really but great things do come in small packages and these little dumplings pack so much taste! The concept at Happy Dumplings is very simple: you choose your dough (you can have it white – made with white flour – or dark – made with wholemeal flour) then choose your filling from mixed pork/beef or chicken and they even have a veggie option. Then decide if you want your dumplings steamed or fried… and get ready to enjoy your dumplings with the sauce of your choice (nuts or soy, homemade) for an explosion of flavours.

Peng, one of the two owners, is adorable and always ready to help his customers. He advised us to choose the “double green” dumpling (mixed organic minced meat, wild garlic, sesame oil, oyster sauce and cabbage) fried. This was by far the best thing we ordered! With a delicious yet delicate filling and a crispy dough, we will definitely order this again.

Still not convinced? The dumplings are completely organic and freshly made every day, right there in front of you. They are served in adorable traditional bamboo containers which make the culinary experience even more authentic. To drink, you can enjoy a selection of Chinese teas or sodas

The atmosphere:

The restaurant is small and cosy, with a modern, uncluttered design. You can feel the Chinese touch with the cute red lamps, lantern origami style (which is originally from Japan, so nevermind ;-)). There are around 6 tables and a couple outside as well, but getting a table outside on a sunny day in Munich is a bit like Dortmund beating FC Bayern München in the Bundesliga… Oh wait…

The prices:

The prices are very fair: you can either choose between 6 dumplings (5€) or 10 dumplings (8€). A true German eater will probably order again after the 10 dumplings though – but also because they are amazing ;) You can enjoy a salad as a side dish as well for 2€ more.

The verdict:

Happy Dumplings in Munich is now by far one of our favorite places to get a quick and nice lunch or for a take-away at home with a movie and a few friends. They’ve just started and they’re very eager to keep on improving and with an amazing first impression, this is one restaurant to keep your eye on.

]]>http://fffoood.com/munich/dim-sum-in-munich-just-head-to-happy-dumplings-1372/feed/3http://fffoood.com/munich/dim-sum-in-munich-just-head-to-happy-dumplings-1372/Dinermite – the classic American diner with a banghttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fffoood/~3/E0M7EfIeKqc/
http://fffoood.com/munich/dinermite-the-classic-american-diner-with-a-bang-1217/#commentsThu, 24 Apr 2014 10:33:46 +0000http://new.fffoood.com/?p=1217What’s the one restaurant that’s missing in this great city? No, not yet another burger place but a classic American diner of course! Well good news, the Sehnsucht crew is nailing the American diner tradition with their new restaurant “Dinermite”, found on Amalienstraße, just opposite bar Sehnsucht. So put another dime in the jukebox and get ready for a trip to classic 50s U.S.A.

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The food:

Embracing the classic American diner menu, Dinermite offers a variety of deli sandwiches (homemade pastrami, pulled pork, beef), chicken wings, pork ribs, mac ‘n’ cheese… basically anything calorific and oh so satisfying after a long night out in town. Interestingly, Dinermite doesn’t do burgers, probably a good idea – who can compete with Burger House anyway? – Other highlights on the menu include lobster chowder, BLT, salads and big fried breakfasts…

We chose the pulled pork, crispy chicken and philly cheese sandwiches together with the traditional mac & cheese and chili cheese fries as side dishes. So with enough food to ensure a definite heart attack, we sat down in our red plastic booth and tucked in. The sandwiches were, in our opinion, pretty good: the Philly cheese sandwich is made with pieces of Entrecôte (or so we were told), and the pulled pork sandwich was served on a bed of coleslaw. This is big, hearty, satisfying food. The Crispy Chicken Sandwich was also decent, although it wasn’t as crunchy and delicious as we had hoped.

The mac & cheese was really good: slightly spicy, deliciously cheesy. Throw some strong Swiss Emmentaler in there and we would be have been over the moon… The Chili Cheese Fries were ok but in our opinion not up to par with what’s out there. We also tried their homemade ice tea which was excellent and a perfect refreshing addition to the fatty food (are you really going to order a sparkling water with those pork ribs?).

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The atmosphere:

Retro red & white booths, retro counter & stools, aluminium tables, neon signs, car wheels… Dinermite’s interior is THE classic diner decor: we loved it! The restaurant totally looks like the ones you see on your favourite American movies and TV shows. Your food is served in those cute little baskets which make the experience even more authentic. Oh and the music is the final touch that really takes you back to 50s Americana when Elvis was King. All in all a really great experience, not the best place for a romantic meal for two but great fun with a group of friends…

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The prices:

We think the prices are generally fine but we think the sandwiches are a tad overpriced. Ok you can’t get these kind of sandwiches everywhere but we just think that a little more effort with the food here and there would’ve made it the perfect restaurant.

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The verdict:

The verdict: By now you’ll have figured that Dinermite definitely is not about haute cuisine and perfectly executed meals but more about the experience. The menu offers a good variety of meals you could find in a diner on the Interstate, the interior design looks really cool and the quality of the food is what you’d expect… All in all, a well-rounded concept and open until 1 am, this is the perfect post-pub hang-out. We’ll definitely be going back to try their big, fried, American style breakfasts!

]]>http://fffoood.com/munich/dinermite-the-classic-american-diner-with-a-bang-1217/feed/2http://fffoood.com/munich/dinermite-the-classic-american-diner-with-a-bang-1217/Bareso: Conscious and Delicioushttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fffoood/~3/EBUmyCCjFQ0/
http://fffoood.com/munich/bareso-conscious-and-delicious-935/#commentsThu, 10 Apr 2014 20:27:43 +0000http://fffoood.com/?p=935Eating BIO is not about exclusively adding Soja milk to your coffee, shopping at Basic, growing your own vegetables in your gardenon your balcony in your kitchen or stop shaving your arm pits. Well today we’re not going to talk about BIO at all actually… rather about BIO ACTIVE! Ha! You might think that it’s yet another marketing coup. BIO ACTIVE is at the core of the concept that the owners of Bareso are trying to democratize by offering a unique experience to their clients. The menu is crafted every morning, the ingredients chosen carefully and cooked with great care…

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The food:
Annette, the brain behind the concept, has been studying and teaching around food pretty much her entire life. After years of telling the good story, she and her husband decided to act and open their own gig to share the passion of their life to others. Bareso is not an Italian restaurant as the name might suggest it. BA = Bio Active, RE = Regional, S = Seasonal, O = Original… BA-RE-SO! To make it short: everything served is 100% bio, local and homemade. The only thing, which is not homemade, is the cheese and the meat (“Die Wurst”). Bread? Homemade! Muesli? Homemade! Marmelade? Well you get it.

Every breakfast starts with the traditional coffee or tea. At Bareso, your cappuccino will come with a colorful mix of herbs on top (not the magical kind). The mueslis and smoothies are an absolute highlight as well, and will give you the vitamin kick you will need to start your day. The scrambled eggs with herbs were also delicious and real eggs were used (that feels very weird to write) – we were told most restaurants use egg powder (EW!!)

We had the pleasure to meet the cook, Sayed, who previously worked as a food engineer (Ausbildung als Ingenieur der Lebensmitteltechnik) and explored some of the best dishes and ingredients the world’s cultures provides. Its bio-active menu features lunch and dinner as well, which Sayed and Annette update every day depending of what their local suppliers have to offer. It can’t get any cooler than that.

What about the prices – you will ask. And yes, considering the quality of the ingredients and the considerable amount of work which such a cuisine demands, prices are a bit higher than a traditional restaurants.

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The atmosphere:
The highlight of the atmosphere is the vegetable garden and the cute little shop attached to the restaurant. Care to try the cola plant? Bareso has its own garden and the owners are growing plants & spices that are then used for their recipes.

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The location:
In our opinion the only negative point is that Bareso is very far away from the city center. The good news is that the owners are looking for a new place a bit closer. We’ll let you know if that happens some time soon.

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The verdict:
Eating there made us healthily happy. You don’t need to be a “Bio freak” to enjoy Bareso, you only need taste. Add to this a bit of awareness and you will simply love it ;) Everything feels like it’s true and real, and will make you feel great about yourself: you are after all supporting the local economy while giving your body a well deserved break from all the cr*p you might eat on a daily basis. Bareso is a truly meaningful addition to the Bio scene around Munich.

]]>http://fffoood.com/munich/bareso-conscious-and-delicious-935/feed/0http://fffoood.com/munich/bareso-conscious-and-delicious-935/Beirut Beirut: Falafel in Love…http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fffoood/~3/i9HUTXZHl04/
http://fffoood.com/munich/beirut-beirut-falafel-in-love-2-916/#commentsMon, 18 Nov 2013 21:31:57 +0000http://fffoood.com/?p=916It was on a Saturday stroll, during a “Hofflohmarkt” in the streets of Sendling. It was as we looked for multicolor balloons, indicating the presence of a flea market stand, that we stumbled upon a little “imbiss” that immediately drew our attention: a Lebanese specialities take-away that will blow you away by its simplicity and authenticity: Beirut Beirut.

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The location:
Sendling is a little bit like the rough diamond of Munich. Only a couple of U-Bahn stations away from Sendlinger Tor this area is perfectly suited to stretch your legs… Beirut Beirut is located in a cute street off the Implerstraße, with trees lined up on the sidewalk which in Summer will allow you to enjoy your food outside, in the shade.

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The atmosphere:
With only a couple of tables and chairs, Beirut Beirut feels very cozy. The turquoise walls, the big jars full of pickled vegetables and Lebanese photographs, together with the Lebanese soundtrack and sound of sizzling falafel will make you feel like you are in a popular area of Beirut. The service is also very good: Khudor Lamaa the owner, takes great pride in welcoming every new customer with a smile and the greatest attention.

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The food:Beirut Beirut menu offers traditional hummus, baba ghanoush, tabouleh, fattoush and hummus musabah and of course falafel. Most of these you can have either in a plate or wrapped with affection in pita bread.

The highlight in our opinion is the falafel. At Beirut Beirut the traditional falafel is celebrated, it’s not re-invented. Your falafel, like the other dishes, will be prepared in front of you, without exception.

The dough is also prepared freshly every day, a refreshing thought considering the many deep frozen crap (pardon my French) you get around town.

The falafel sandwich will be mixed with a few slices tomatoes, salad, parsley, and then delicately spiced with sesame sauce: an absolute delicacy. To accompany your falafel, we recommend a traditional yogurt beverage – “Laban” – or a tea if it’s cold outside.

The “baba ghanoush”, a paste made with eggplant, mixed with olive oil and other fine spices is excellently prepared as well. It will be served either on a plate with pita bread and mix of pickled vegetables, or as a sandwich. A real delight!

In terms of prices, they vary between 4EUR and 7EUR per person for a meal (without drinks). A fair price, we think, considering the great experience.

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The verdict:Beirut Beirut is definitely one of our top locations in Munich. Whether it’s after a long day of shopping, on a Saturday morning feeling a tad hungover or even on a date (the “unsexy-post-falafel-fry-up-smell” on your clothes is worth it!!) we feel Beirut Beirut stands out and brings a well needed touch of freshness to the crowded “imbiss” market in Munich. More of that please, thanks.

]]>http://fffoood.com/munich/beirut-beirut-falafel-in-love-2-916/feed/0http://fffoood.com/munich/beirut-beirut-falafel-in-love-2-916/Is there such thing as Canadian food? Ask Sasha!http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fffoood/~3/xY1GBdmnaSY/
http://fffoood.com/munich/is-there-such-thing-as-canadian-food-ask-sasha-899/#commentsMon, 10 Jun 2013 18:26:45 +0000http://fffoood.com/?p=899There are tons of international restaurants in Munich sometimes offering true specialities from their respective countries but at times also some poor imitations… How do you usually make the difference? Well one of the things we’ve all heard once (and certainly considered as valuable information) is something around the lines of “this Japanese place is really good, plus it’s always full of Japanese people!”

We definitely think this is useful information and would like to share with you in our new category Melting Pot, where expats from all around the world go in Munich to have food from home. Today it’s Canada’s turn… Meet Sasha! We hope you find it useful!

1. What’s your name, where are you from and how long have been living in Munich?My name is Sasha Gora and I’m from Toronto, Canada. I have been based in Munich for the past two years.

2. What do you do in Munich?I work as a writer and copyeditor for an internet company by day and by night I cook, eat and write about cooking and eating for Honest Cooking. I also write exhibition reviews now and then.

3. What is important for you in a restaurant (good food, good service, great decoration, cheap prices)?The food! To me, good food is as simple as good ingredients combined with a little integrity and passion. I like restaurants that tell stories with the ingredients they use and the ways they combine them. If a restaurant has the above, then I’m smitten. Everything else is just extra butter, totally delicious but not necessary.

4. What is your favourite restaurant or café in Munich? If you’re not from Germany, where do you go in Munich to eat food from your home country?I grew up in Toronto. In other words, I grew up in a city that spoiled me with ridiculously good food. And food from everywhere! New York and London both are assumed to be the world’s most multicultural cities, but this title actually goes to Toronto. Over half of Torontonians were born outside of Canada and 47% have a mother tongue that isn’t English or French.

Canadian food is quite conceptual. It is based on ingredients, individual histories and shared communities and, in turn, it is a true melting pot. It really can be anything and everything. By the time I was in middle school, I was a dim sum devotee and by the end of high school I had eaten at all the restaurants in Little India. Therefore, it makes sense that there isn’t really such a thing as a restaurant outside of Canada serving “Canadian” food.

So the restaurants that I eat at when I’m feeling homesick don’t serve “Canadian” food; instead, the atmosphere or the approach feels like home. Canada is a country that is all about comfort. And so, cafes such as Bar Centrale where you can chat with strangers and hang out all day, to me, feel Canadian. And restaurants like Fei Scho that reinterpret classics and aren’t afraid to trespass across the national borders of cuisines take care of any sense of home sick I have.

Photo by Liya Chechik

6. In 3 lines, why do you like it so much and why would you recommend fffoood.com readers to go there? Any specific meal you recommend?

Fei Scho is a reminder of how unexpected and new the flavours of Bavarian food can taste when imagined differently. Although Fei Scho sounds Asian, it is actually Bavarian dialect and the food it serves is a fusion of the two. They have a few classic dumplings on the menu and the schweinekrustbraten in dunkelbiersauce is the star. It is sure to convince you that Bavarian meat is as at home in a dumpling wrapper as it is with a Maβ at Oktoberfest. They also have fun seasonal dumplings, like apricot and chicory in summer. It might seem a little pricey at first, but the dumplings come with a whole mini-buffet of salads and pickled veggies. Also, if they have the banana chocolate dumpling for dessert the day you visit, do say yes.

Bar Centrale is an institution and rightly so. It reminds me of being in Italy just as much as being in Toronto’s Little Italy. I love that it is somewhere you can go all day. It is just as good for breakfast as it is for an afternoon spritz or for a dinner of pasta. You can go alone, hangout at the bar, drink a coffee and chat with the regulars. Or, you can cuddle up on one of the low leather benches in the back room and order dinner. It is just as easy to step in for a five minute shot of espresso as it is to hang out for a three hour, wine fueled dinner. Also, they have the tiniest servings of tiramisu in espresso cups which means that no matter how full you may be, you always have room for dessert!

Wanna be featured in our next Melting Pot article like Sasha? Send us a mail at tips@fffoood.com and we’ll get back to you quickly…

]]>http://fffoood.com/munich/is-there-such-thing-as-canadian-food-ask-sasha-899/feed/0http://fffoood.com/munich/is-there-such-thing-as-canadian-food-ask-sasha-899/Kreta Grill for a Greek Thrillhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fffoood/~3/a391ZHDdyK0/
http://fffoood.com/munich/kreta-grill-for-a-greek-thrill-866/#commentsThu, 11 Apr 2013 18:43:12 +0000http://fffoood.com/?p=866Greece may have economical difficulties in Europe, but it’s certainly not the case of Greek restaurants in Munich! Greek restaurants are institutions over here, and no wonder why… Delicious food and fun all night do sound promising after all! Who hasn’t ever celebrated a birthday at Paros? Who has never accidentally burnt napkins on candles after too many Ouzos? We ALL went waiting 1 hour at Paros or Molos to enjoy a “Gyros Teller”! And because those 2 restaurants are so famous, we decided to tell you about a small Crete restaurant, that has absolutely nothing to envy from his 2 big brothers: Kreta Grill

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The location:

Kreta Grill is located in the Nordendstrasse 60 close to the Elizabethplatz Market. Easily reachable by tram (27 from Stacchus).

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The atmosphere:

At Kreta Grill napkins might not be in the air, but love for food certainly is! Love for excellent food, love for seasonal products, love for tradition… Mix it with an adorable and intimate place, a friendly service and there you go: Kreta Grill! If you manage to make abstraction of the street out there, you could definitely believe that you are in one of the loveliest restaurant of Heraklion. Also enjoy Kreta Grill in Summer on their cutest terrace ever…

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The fffoood:

First thing you need to know is that Nikos and Noel, the owners, don’t joke with freshness: Kreta Grill’s menu changes daily. You’ll basically have the choice between traditional cold or warm starters, grilled fish or meat and desserts. Simple but effective… and we love that!

For starters we TOTALLY (ABSOLUTELY!) recommend the aubergine salad (see pictures below) which you’ll be able to saviour with a piece of bread and a glass of wine. Seasoned to perfection, literally melting in your mouth… Kudos if you don’t go for a 2nd round!

For the main course we tried a bit of everything… The fish? If not sold out for the day we recommend the Dorade. We didn’t have that luck and had to go for the Loup which was served with potatoes and salad. Close your eyes and you might believe you’re only miles away from the coast.

The meat? Although Gyros is on the menu we felt like varying a little and went for the lamb filet which was served with potatoes and tsatsikis. And OMG!!11!1!!1 So tender! So juicy! So tasty! So perfect… And by the way we don’t think we are exaggerating 1 second.

From a price perspective, we paid for 3 starters and 3 mains about 25EUR per person and were not only full but really enjoyed the service and the food all together.

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The verdict:

Unlike Paros or Molos, you probably won’t dance on the table at the end of your diner and if the napkins won’t fly, they will teach you a bit of Greek. And after such a great experience, we can tell you: Αγαπάμε την Ελλάδα!!!

]]>http://fffoood.com/munich/kreta-grill-for-a-greek-thrill-866/feed/0http://fffoood.com/munich/kreta-grill-for-a-greek-thrill-866/Spice it up Mexican Style with Ana Maria (Milagros & Co.)http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fffoood/~3/_uDaV03LdII/
http://fffoood.com/munich/spice-it-up-mexican-style-with-ana-maria-milagros-co-829/#commentsThu, 04 Apr 2013 21:28:47 +0000http://fffoood.com/?p=829There are tons of international restaurants in Munich sometimes offering true specialities from their respective countries but at times also some poor imitations… How do you usually make the difference? Well one of the things we’ve all heard once (and certainly considered as valuable information) is something around the lines of “this Japanese place is really good, plus it’s always full of Japanese people!”

We definitely think this is useful information and would like to share with you in our new category Melting Pot, where expats from all around the world go in Munich to have food from home. Today it’s Mexico’s turn… Meet Ana Maria! We hope you find it useful!

1. What’s your name?
Ana Maria E.

2. Where are you from and how long have been living in Munich?
Mexico City, Mexico. I have been living in Munich for almost 4 years now.

3. What do you do in Munich?
Teacher :)

4. What is important for you in a restaurant (good food, good service, great decoration, cheap prices)?
It’s all about the taste! And I like when food is prepared with fresh, seasonal ingredients as well.

5. What is your favorite restaurant or café in Munich? Where do you go in Munich to eat food from your home country?
I’m a fan of Burger House, I heard the cook is Mexican as well. And to eat good Mexican food, I really like Milagros and El Patio. If you like a burrito for lunch, I would recommend you to go to Condesa.

6. In 3 lines, why do you like it so much and why would you recommend fffoood.com readers to go there? Any specific meal you recommend?
Mexico is one of those countries, where you don’t need to tell about its cultural & historical heritage, and food that is actually registered as Unesco World Heritage. For a great and festive dinner, bring your friends to Milagros, close to Viktualenmarkt! They always use fresh products (I like to believe they all come from the market) and prepare good fajitas, enchiladas and tacos. If you are a “Mexican food beginner”, you can order the “salsas Mexicanas” mix and enjoy different sauces with really nice tacos. The meat is always good prepared too! The menu is really complete, for the drinks as well, and the deco makes it all more real, even if some people could find it a bit cheesy (what Mexican people love anyways). Buen provecho!

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Attracted by Mexican wonders – the sweet one is a quesadilla-addict – fresh margaritas and a really nice website that you can find here, we also went to Milagros to enjoy a good dinner and took some pictures. The staff is really friendly (as all our Mexican friends) and we were very happy with the dishes we ordered. The ceviche (starter with fresh tomatoes and shrimps) was really fresh and well seasonned. Insider tipp: go to the toilets and improve your Spanish! Enjoy gringos:

Wanna be featured in our next Melting Pot article like Ana Maria? Send us a mail at tips@fffoood.com and we’ll get back to you quickly…

]]>http://fffoood.com/munich/spice-it-up-mexican-style-with-ana-maria-milagros-co-829/feed/0http://fffoood.com/munich/spice-it-up-mexican-style-with-ana-maria-milagros-co-829/Schmock: Schmeckt!http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fffoood/~3/aEPX4y2yjkI/
http://fffoood.com/munich/schmock-schmeckt-812/#commentsSun, 18 Nov 2012 21:20:29 +0000http://fffoood.com/?p=812Have you ever tried Israeli Cuisine (Hummus or Falafel doesn’t count!)? Well we didn’t before going to Schmock. “Schmock” in Yiddish has a rather pejorative connotation and is defined as someone “stupid or foolish”. Since we got many emails from readers telling us to try it out, we thought we’d be complete schmocks for not going…

The location:

For once we decided to get out of our dearest Glockenbachviertel ;) and headed up to Maxvorstadt. Schmock is located in the Augustenstraße 52 – easy to reach with the U2 Königplatz, U1 Stigmaierplatz, or even with the tram 20! Here’s a link to the map.

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The atmosphere:

The restaurant is elegant and cosy. Decoration is kept to a minimum with the use of some simple materials like stone walls and wooden furniture. When entering Schmock you’ll already feel the place is more quiet than lively… Nothing close to the famous Rabbi Jacob scene:

We felt Schmock was a rather intimate place where one could bring his or her date for a romantic (not) kosher evening, with the confidence to score a home-run ;-)

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The fffoood:

Israeli cuisine stems from various elements of Jewish cuisine says Wikipedia, with some influences of Mediterranean cuisine. With that in mind, diversity is an adjective that comes to mind. Schmock’s daily changing Carte is not extensive but offers more modern view on Israeli cuisine with some insights in the traditional corner.

For starters, we tried the typical Israeli mixed plate: hummus, falafel, freshly prepared salad, taboulé… you name it! A good way to try a bit of everything… We couldn’t wait to get going with the main courses.

The Sour One had a Tuna Tapuzim served on a bed of Avocado and Mango tartar. The Tuna was grilled to perfection: raw on the side yet still low warm. The presentation in the plate was neatly done. I had a “Variation vom Rinderbäckchen an Dlaad-Mousseline”. Thumbs-up from us both!

Service was amazing from the moment we put a foot in the door. Very nice and friendly staff, with good knowledge of the Carte and ready to answer any of your wishes.

From a price perspective, quality has a price! Schmock’s prices range from 12,5 Euros for the starters, and will go up to 35 Euros for the main course.

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The verdict:

After paying a visit to Schmock, Gault and Millau (one of France’s most influential restaurants guide) wrote: “Great service, excellent quality and a big portion of Jewish humor!” – and we totally agree with that! The price may be high, but Schmock schmeckt and we think you would be a total Schmock if you didn’t go try it out for yourself!

]]>http://fffoood.com/munich/schmock-schmeckt-812/feed/0http://fffoood.com/munich/schmock-schmeckt-812/Authentic Indian Cuisine in Munich? Meet Radhika!http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/fffoood/~3/H0l8NhHtdXw/
http://fffoood.com/munich/authentic-indian-cuisine-in-munich-800/#commentsThu, 06 Sep 2012 09:32:18 +0000http://fffoood.com/?p=800There are tons of international restaurants in Munich sometimes offering true specialities from their respective countries but at times also some poor imitations… How do you usually make the difference? Well one of the things we’ve all heard once (and certainly considered as valuable information) is something around the lines of “this Japanese place is really good, plus it’s always full of Japanese people!”

We definitely think this is useful information and would like to share with you in our new category Melting Pot, where expats from all around the world go in Munich to have food from home. Today it’s India’s turn… Meet Radhika! We hope you find it useful!

1. What’s your name?

Radhika Radhakrishnan

2. Where are you from and how long have been living in Munich?

Mumbai. Living in Munich since September 2007

3. What do you do in Munich?

Working in the IT sector

4. What is important for you in a restaurant (good food, good service, great decoration, cheap prices)?

Of course good and tasty food followed with friendly service…

5. What is your favourite restaurant or café in Munich? Where do you go in Munich to eat food from your home country?

In general I like Café Ignaz, it’s a small and cozy place. The Taj Mahal or the Dhaba restaurants in Munich. For takeaway, Shaan restaurant .

6. In 3 lines, why do you like it so much and why would you recommend fffoood.com readers to go there? Any specific meal you recommend?

I am from the foodie city of Mumbai, moved to Brighton before settling down in Munich. Being a true mumbaite, I love my street spicy finger licking varities of food…

When I moved to Brighton, I found the food street of the laines satisfying the taste buds. But when I came to Munich I must admit I missed the authentic Indian food. I found it bland and the excessive cream ruined the taste of the spices in most restaurants. We were stuck to my awesome (:-p) culinary skills at home on most days.

Thankfully we stumbled upon a restaurant called “Taj Mahal”, situated in the busy street of Nympherburger Strasse . The staff were pretty friendly, the ambience is great, location is approachable and the food topped all the above. I could finally taste all the traditional spices in my food rather than just extreme chilly or cream. Prices were a bit above average but it is well worth it! I would definitely recommend a visit to experience the food yourself.